Namco America Inc. and Sony BMG Music Entertainment said on Monday they settled a lawsuit in which Namco charged that a Sony BMG artist used sounds from its popular Pac-Man arcade game in violation of intellectual property laws.
Namco America, a Namco Ltd subsidiary, said the song at issue was "Game Over" from the album "U Gotta Feel Me," by Sony BMG recording artist Lil' Flip, a rapper hailing from Houston.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Pioneer Releases BluRay Burner
Though the HD-DVD and BluRay wars are far from over, in fact just getting started, manufacturers are already busy getting ready for these two new formats. Even though you cannot get BluRay discs commercially just yet, Pioneer has a BluRay compatible optical drive available. It isn't that this drive is here that makes this interesting. After all, DVD players were common long before DVD burners were, and long before you could cheaply (or easily) get recordable DVD media. What makes this interesting is the fact that the drive support only BluRay from the newer formats, and cannot read CDs. Essentially, you're stuck with just DVDs and just BluRay. Will we see a repeat of the late 90s when just about every computer came with two optical drives? Early adopters usually get the short end of the stick and that seems to be the case with this baby. BluRay recording is slower than DVD recording and there's no mention on whether it would be able to support newer BluRay discs as they grow in size.
Computer Virus my ass
Ever since the public was made aware of compter viruses, spyware, adware and other malicious stuff, people who do not know a PC from a hole in the ground love to use this excuse....Oh my computer has a virus.... Bullshit you idiot, you just do not know how to operate a computer.
Damn Katrina....Damn her to HELL
My prayers to those who lost homes or family due to the hurricane. I am not sure how I did it, but I mangage to sleep clean through the night. The power went out after 11:00 pm and I usaully wake up from that happening, not this morning. My Dad drove out to my house to check on things and brought me some coffee, so that was a good start to an otherwise shitty morning.
The wind damage is pretty bad around here. Many trees were down and the road is littered with debris. We were lucky though. Maybe the rest of those who were victims of her wrath, can get back on there feet.
The wind damage is pretty bad around here. Many trees were down and the road is littered with debris. We were lucky though. Maybe the rest of those who were victims of her wrath, can get back on there feet.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Hacker taps into US military database
You seem to hear lots of stories about people cracking into the US military and the Pentagon, begging the questions a)How the hell its done, and b)Why the hell it seems to be so easy? One would think that some kind of military computer system would need to be isolated from the rest of the internet, but seemingly not. There seems to be doors into these kinds of things that are publicly accessible (albeit you need to be a security genius to work them out), and despite the threat of horrible legal action and even jail time, people still seem to be tempted into trying to open them.
Now another alleged hacker would appear to be in trouble for cracking into a US military database – one that contained social security numbers and other personal information for 33,000 Air Force officers and some enlisted staff.
Social security numbers, birth dates and other information was accessed some time in May or June, apparently by someone with the password to the air force computer system.
"We are doing everything we can to catch and prosecute those responsible," Maj Gen Tony Przybyslawski said.
Now another alleged hacker would appear to be in trouble for cracking into a US military database – one that contained social security numbers and other personal information for 33,000 Air Force officers and some enlisted staff.
Social security numbers, birth dates and other information was accessed some time in May or June, apparently by someone with the password to the air force computer system.
"We are doing everything we can to catch and prosecute those responsible," Maj Gen Tony Przybyslawski said.
Atari sells Humongous to Infogrames for $10.3 mll
Video game publisher Atari Inc said on Friday it signed a deal to sell its Humongous Entertainment studio business for $10.3 million to Atari's controlling parent, France's Infogrames Entertainment.
The deal between Atari, the publisher of "Driv3r" and "Dragon Ball Z," and Infogrames came about one month after the resignation of Atari board member Thomas Mitchell, who left amid concerns that the two publicly traded companies were too closely tied.
Infogrames owns about 52 percent of Atari, and Bruno Bonnell serves as chief executive and chairman of both companies.
Atari said the Humongous assets consist primarily of intellectual property, existing inventory and license rights. Some $2 million of the purchase price represents prepayment of future costs that Atari will incur from platform royalty advances, manufacturing costs and milestone payments, it said. Atari also said it has been granted exclusive distribution rights for Humongous products in the United States, Canada and Mexico through at least March 2006.
The deal between Atari, the publisher of "Driv3r" and "Dragon Ball Z," and Infogrames came about one month after the resignation of Atari board member Thomas Mitchell, who left amid concerns that the two publicly traded companies were too closely tied.
Infogrames owns about 52 percent of Atari, and Bruno Bonnell serves as chief executive and chairman of both companies.
Atari said the Humongous assets consist primarily of intellectual property, existing inventory and license rights. Some $2 million of the purchase price represents prepayment of future costs that Atari will incur from platform royalty advances, manufacturing costs and milestone payments, it said. Atari also said it has been granted exclusive distribution rights for Humongous products in the United States, Canada and Mexico through at least March 2006.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Just so you know
Since I have been so busy lately and I haven't had a chance to keep everyone informed of the new Xbox 360 packages, The Digital Tech Life, has got a few articles I would like you to take a look at.... like the following:
Doom Trailer
Xbox 360 The Omega - $1999.69
Hitachi releases first terabyte DVD recorder
EB Games price Xbox 360 bundle over $699
Doom Trailer
Xbox 360 The Omega - $1999.69
Hitachi releases first terabyte DVD recorder
EB Games price Xbox 360 bundle over $699
width="240" height="180"Microsoft Remixed
I have seen this before, but I felt it was worth sharing. Some people have way too much time on there hands.
Microsoft remixed
Microsoft remixed
1980's Commercials!
Here, and only here, you can download, watch, and save all your favorite commercials from the 80s, ranging in topic from action figures to breakfast cereal to public service announcements starring Pat Sajak. The Clapper? It's here. Masters of the Universe?
I had all of these toys at one time. Man I wish I still had them all. I still have my thundercat guy (the one that bear hugged people), somewhere in a box. Check out these classic commercials.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Halo: The Movie, coming soon...
Microsoft Corp. has signed a deal with two film studios to make a movie based on its popular space-based video game series "Halo," a spokesman for Universal Pictures said on Wednesday. Universal and Twentieth Century Fox agreed to pay Microsoft $5 million plus a percentage of ticket sales. The total price being paid is capped at 10 percent of the domestic box office.
Read more..... (Reuters)
Read more..... (Reuters)
New machine allows soldiers to hurdle buildings
LONDON (Reuters) - A device that allows people to scale tall buildings in if not a single, then at least two bounds, has been developed for the U.S. military. The PowerQuick personal lifting device can raise or lower a load of up to 145 kg (320 lb) at the rate of one meter (yard) per second, enabling special forces, rescue services or even construction workers to quickly ascend or escape buildings.
New Scientist magazine said on Wednesday the operator would shoot a rope attached to a grappling hook to the top of the building and then attach the rope to a harness-like device which hauls them up.
It said one battery charge would be sufficient to climb 250 metres -- the equivalent of five times the height of the Statue of Liberty.
Quoin International, the Nevada-based company that developed the device for the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, said on its Web site the solid fuel military version was designed for hostage rescue and urban warfare. However, the battery-powered civilian version had been designed with commercial applications such as building repair, logging or window washing in mind.
New Scientist magazine said on Wednesday the operator would shoot a rope attached to a grappling hook to the top of the building and then attach the rope to a harness-like device which hauls them up.
It said one battery charge would be sufficient to climb 250 metres -- the equivalent of five times the height of the Statue of Liberty.
Quoin International, the Nevada-based company that developed the device for the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, said on its Web site the solid fuel military version was designed for hostage rescue and urban warfare. However, the battery-powered civilian version had been designed with commercial applications such as building repair, logging or window washing in mind.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
The tale of the little two
I had to.... I just had too.
Buddha and I were sitting in math class tonight and the teacher asked the students what we thought the answer was. Buddha said x squared but the answer was 2x so I said there you go putting your little 2 in the wrong place again. At this point I started to lose it. I started laughing and said you know what happens when you go sticking your little two in the wrong place (talking about his wife being pregnant), and without missing a beat, Buddha says "yeah, you multiply!" I was crying trying to hold back the laughter and keep from drawing more attention to myself.
Maybe you just had to be there, but damn it was funny!
Buddha and I were sitting in math class tonight and the teacher asked the students what we thought the answer was. Buddha said x squared but the answer was 2x so I said there you go putting your little 2 in the wrong place again. At this point I started to lose it. I started laughing and said you know what happens when you go sticking your little two in the wrong place (talking about his wife being pregnant), and without missing a beat, Buddha says "yeah, you multiply!" I was crying trying to hold back the laughter and keep from drawing more attention to myself.
Maybe you just had to be there, but damn it was funny!
Thrown to the wolves
Without hesitation I have hit the ground running this morning. A co-worker was unexpectedly hospitalized early yesterday so I took her pace and worked a little late yesterday. Today will be the same. It's going to be a busy week for sure. I think the training was a clever way for management to confuse me.
All is well, just busy.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
It's always sunny in Philadelphia
Why have I not heard of this show sooner? I guess I haven't been paying much attention to the TV lately. I was sitting on the couch reading a magazine, and I saw an ad for Rescue Me on FX.
I love that show and I lost track of the season. It was good to watch it again and then this comedy comes out of no where and I am laughing my ass off. If you get a chance, you have to check it out.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
One day
One day my generation will rule this world. No really, it's an age thing. My generation will eventually be the one to control the government.
It may not be for the better, but it sure will be a lot more fun!
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Lord give me patience
I signed up for a 7:30PM class thinking it was at 5. Oh well it's too late now. The bad part is, the class is a new class required for my major (computer networking) called Intro to the information super highway. Imagine my frustrations. Maybe the instructor will just assign the work and not make those of us who can properly operate a mouse sit through the pain of hearing him teach the illiterate.
One more day to go and I am done with my so called training. Tomorrow is my first day of actually doing my job and 2 people are going to be out of the office, so the workload will be huge. What a way to get started.
Lord, give me patience.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Malicious gamer arrested for stealing, auctioning virtual bounty
Japanese authorities have arrested a Chinese exchange student for hacking into the online game Lineage II. The hacker had crafted a special software application or bot that would strip a player's character of valuable items including credits, weapons and protection. He would later sell these items on auction websites. The transactions were completed in the game, with the hacker meeting the buyer at a designated place to transfer the stolen goods, according to the Japanese newspaper Mainichi.
Read more..... (PC Magazine UK)
Read more..... (PC Magazine UK)
Monday, August 22, 2005
Case of the Mondays
Not wanting to get out of bed is normal for me, but this morning my body refused to get up on time. I wasn't late to work despite an overturned truck blocking my way on the highway.
I had a great night last night. I made dinner for Kim and I (yes I cooked). We had chicken and sausage tuscano with sweet corn and steamed broccoli accompanied with a bottle of the vino. I even had baked a homemade apple pie.
I was actually surprised dinner turned out so well.
After dinner we sat and talked for a while and watched some videos. It was a nice quiet evening and I thoroughly enjoyed her company.
College starts back tonight, so it's back to high gear for a while
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Consoles Will Rule!
I was scanning Tom's Hardware site this morning and I found this article about the next gen consoles.
A Tale Of Three Consoles
A Tale Of Three Consoles
Violent video games make children aggressive
According to a new study, children are becoming increasingly aggressive with their exposure to violent video games. It seems that teachers of 600 children aged between 13 and 15, said children who spent more time playing such video games were more hostile than others. In a report that was a result of 17 studies conducted over 20 years by Kevin Kieffer and Jessica Nicoll of Saint Leo University, Florida, it was found that there is a strong link between games and how children and adolescents behave. It is claimed that playing games with violent moves such as karate kicks, for example, leads children to use these moves in real life.
Commenting on it Dr Sameer Parekh, Psychologist, Max Healthcare told FE: "No violence can have a healthy effect on children. It makes children less inhibited and desensitised to violence. It also leads to a distortion of reality wherein they tend to justify violence."
Commenting on it Dr Sameer Parekh, Psychologist, Max Healthcare told FE: "No violence can have a healthy effect on children. It makes children less inhibited and desensitised to violence. It also leads to a distortion of reality wherein they tend to justify violence."
NEC to Offer Water-Cooled Desktop PCs
Water cooling is now beginning to enter the PC manufacturing mainstream. It's been a very enthusiast-only or enterprise-only cooling solution for a while, but as desktop CPUs continue to ramp up power consumption and noise becomes an increasing concern, manufacturers are having to look to things behind the outmoded method of air cooling. NEC is now including, by default, a water cooling setup complete with radiator built into the chassis, in their new Valuestar G series. They start at around $925 USD sporting a dual-core Celeron, and have configurations going up from there. It is always nice to see big names supporting good technology. This particular model can apparently sit at 100% load and still remain at 30 dB or lower.
Welsh students can be hackers
A Welsh university is running the world's first postgraduate certificate in penetration testing and information security. The University of Glamorgan is to be offering students the chance to study lessons in ethical hacking, wireless security and BS 7799. The course, which has been coordinated with information Security Company 7Safe, includes three industry qualifications (Certified security Testing Associate and Professional and Certified Forensic Investigation Analyst). It will earn students credits towards a Postgraduate Diploma or Masters in science (MSc).
"The introduction of this specialist qualification broadens the scope of our existing IT education programme," said Andrew Blyth, principal lecturer at the university's school of computing. "The theoretical and practical elements of the programme will provide students with transferable skills which are of tangible benefit in the industry."
"The introduction of this specialist qualification broadens the scope of our existing IT education programme," said Andrew Blyth, principal lecturer at the university's school of computing. "The theoretical and practical elements of the programme will provide students with transferable skills which are of tangible benefit in the industry."
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Two Dogs
Only Steve, Johnny, and I understand the meaning of this title, so don't bother trying to bring logic into it. We all went out to eat tonight and ended up with a wide variety of imported beers to sit and drink on Steve's deck. We chose the following for tonight:
1. Buddington English Ale (England)
2. Warshteiner Dunkel (German)
3. Negro Modelo (Mexico)
4. Guinness Extra Stout (Ireland)
For the most part we all agreed that the Buddington lacked that certain someting. (I think it was too weak).
The Watshteiner was great but Steve and Johnny preferred the Negro W/Lime to it.
For me......There is no other beer that could compare to Guinness Extra Stout. I love the bold rich filling taste of it.
We decided to have "Import Night" once a month and try all of the beers from around the world, we will also include any Micro Breweries that we come along.
1. Buddington English Ale (England)
2. Warshteiner Dunkel (German)
3. Negro Modelo (Mexico)
4. Guinness Extra Stout (Ireland)
For the most part we all agreed that the Buddington lacked that certain someting. (I think it was too weak).
The Watshteiner was great but Steve and Johnny preferred the Negro W/Lime to it.
For me......There is no other beer that could compare to Guinness Extra Stout. I love the bold rich filling taste of it.
We decided to have "Import Night" once a month and try all of the beers from around the world, we will also include any Micro Breweries that we come along.
Friday, August 19, 2005
NES Controller TV Remote
NES Remote
Ever wanted to control your TV with an old school Nintendo controller? Controlling the basic functions of a TV through a NES pad would be awesome
Find out how
Ever wanted to control your TV with an old school Nintendo controller? Controlling the basic functions of a TV through a NES pad would be awesome
Find out how
Hacking Hotel PPV
So, you are sitting in your hotel, there is NOTHING on the 13 free channels and you really want to catch that.. eh hum new movie out right now, but you dont want to pony up the $10 or whatever they charge for pay-per-view movies... Well you are in luck! It is VERY easy to get free PPV in **MOST** Hotels. The funny thing is, you can do it a couple different ways. In the following article I will present the two most popular -- other ways are up to you to figure out!
Read the article...
Read the article...
Thursday, August 18, 2005
How strange
On my way to work this morning I was driving down the interstate and I could have sworn I saw Jay and Silent Bob walking on the opposite side of the road. Black clothes, ball caps, and even "Silent Bob" was wearing a trenchcoat.
I may have been hallucinating but it sure looked like them.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Fiona....Finally!!
I am a big Fiona Apple fan, and if you're like me you have been waiting impatiently for her latest album. Well wait no longer becuase her newest album "Extraordinary Machine" will be released soon
Fiona has been freed! And it turns out she was holding herself hostage this whole time. According to a press release on her website, seductively eccentric piano thrush Fiona Apple will FINALLY release her third full-length, Extraordinary Machine, on October 4 on Epic. As everybody and her mom knows by now, an early version of the album has been floating around on file-sharing networks for eons, with rumors that evil label execs were keeping the collection of quirky post-cabaret ditties locked in the vaults because they weren’t commercial enough. Not so! Apparently, Apple just hadn’t finished the record-until now. The Extraordinary Machine you’re going to have to pay for (at least until somebody leaks it, too) will feature just two of the tracks us pirates are familiar with, alongside new recordings of nine of the previously leaked songs, and one new tune, "Parting Gift". And lookee here, you can listen to "Parting Gift", as well as the rejiggered version of "O’ Sailor" on Apple’s website and Myspace page. iTunes will begin selling the two tracks together as one of them "bundle" things tomorrow, with other online music stores hawking them separately.
The new Extraordinary Machine was produced by Mike Elizondo, whose name you might recognize from the credits on various Dr. Dre-related records. (Fiona goes gangsta!) Soundtrack superstar/Kanye-friend Jon Brion helmed the leaked version, but the official album will sound "radically different," Elizondo told the New York Times. "Everything was done from scratch."
* Fiona Apple: http://www.fiona-apple.com
Fiona has been freed! And it turns out she was holding herself hostage this whole time. According to a press release on her website, seductively eccentric piano thrush Fiona Apple will FINALLY release her third full-length, Extraordinary Machine, on October 4 on Epic. As everybody and her mom knows by now, an early version of the album has been floating around on file-sharing networks for eons, with rumors that evil label execs were keeping the collection of quirky post-cabaret ditties locked in the vaults because they weren’t commercial enough. Not so! Apparently, Apple just hadn’t finished the record-until now. The Extraordinary Machine you’re going to have to pay for (at least until somebody leaks it, too) will feature just two of the tracks us pirates are familiar with, alongside new recordings of nine of the previously leaked songs, and one new tune, "Parting Gift". And lookee here, you can listen to "Parting Gift", as well as the rejiggered version of "O’ Sailor" on Apple’s website and Myspace page. iTunes will begin selling the two tracks together as one of them "bundle" things tomorrow, with other online music stores hawking them separately.
The new Extraordinary Machine was produced by Mike Elizondo, whose name you might recognize from the credits on various Dr. Dre-related records. (Fiona goes gangsta!) Soundtrack superstar/Kanye-friend Jon Brion helmed the leaked version, but the official album will sound "radically different," Elizondo told the New York Times. "Everything was done from scratch."
* Fiona Apple: http://www.fiona-apple.com
Logitech launches keyboard with integrated display
Logitech today launched a new cordless keyboard that can display various information pieces through a display that is integrated into the casing of the device. According to the company, the LCD screen can display e-mail and instant message (IM) notifications, playlists and Internet radio stations. Logitech believes that the screen can "alleviate visual clutter that would ordinarily be displayed on the computer monitor," which includes status of caps lock and F lock keys, as well as volume levels.
According to the manufacturer the MX 5000 keyboard also can turn a PC into a Bluetooth wireless hub, as it supports Bluetooth 2.0 EDR wireless technology. As you may imagine, the extra equipment isn't free and commands a premium over typical keyboards. Logitech said the MX5000 will be available in October for about $150.
According to the manufacturer the MX 5000 keyboard also can turn a PC into a Bluetooth wireless hub, as it supports Bluetooth 2.0 EDR wireless technology. As you may imagine, the extra equipment isn't free and commands a premium over typical keyboards. Logitech said the MX5000 will be available in October for about $150.
Microsoft enables streaming between PC and Xbox 360
Microsoft released a beta version of its Windows Media Connect 2 to developers and beta testers. The software, which allows digital media receivers (DMR) to stream music, video, and photos stored on Windows XP-based computers, will support in its second generation a range of new devices, including the upcoming game console Xbox 360.
According to Microsoft, WMC2 connects the Xbox 360 to home PCs as well as online services such as Napster and Yahoo and allows streaming of digital content, including images, music and video. PlaysForSure verified digital media receivers such as those from Roku and D-Link are supported as well, the company said.
According to Microsoft, WMC2 connects the Xbox 360 to home PCs as well as online services such as Napster and Yahoo and allows streaming of digital content, including images, music and video. PlaysForSure verified digital media receivers such as those from Roku and D-Link are supported as well, the company said.
Xbox 360 Price Packages
Ok so I am a little behind on the world of tech, but with my limited time, I did manage to find some in depth detail between the $299 and $399 Xbox 360 packages.
The Core sytem ($299) will consist of just that the Xbox 360 console, Controller, Faceplate, and Standard AV Cable.
The premium edition ($399), distinguished by signature metallic detailing on the console itself comes fully loaded for the ultimate gaming experience, with components and accessories that would cost more than $200 if sold separately:Xbox 360 console, Xbox 360 Hard Drive (20 GB). 20 GB and detachable, Wireless Controller, Faceplate, Headset, Component HD-AV Cable, Xbox Live Silver membership, and A bonus Media Remote
Check it out!!
OH COME ON!!!
Seriously, I need bandwidth!
I finally had a little time to check NewsGator and I had over 400 items in there. It has taken me SOOOO long to go through them. I was just going to delete them but I just couldn't (what if I was to miss something). Having dial up internet service should qualify me for a disability claim! I feel like a retard staring at the screen waiting for shit to load. DSL is like 2 miles down the road.....COME ON BELLSOUTH!!!
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
What do you think?
Butterfly
I added the pale blue color back into it's wings. I want to get Photoshop and start doing more of these to my B&W pics
I added the pale blue color back into it's wings. I want to get Photoshop and start doing more of these to my B&W pics
Just to clarify
I've been getting a lot of responses to my last posting. I'm fine. Maybe I've just been a little stressed the last few days. With the new job, classes coming up and juggling my so called personal life, I get to worrying about things.
I can't help it, I get the worrying from my dad. All in all things are actually going pretty well. I think I am progressing with the new job. There is more to learn than I expected, but its worth busting my ass and learning all I can. The training ends next Wednesday, then I am on my own.
As far as my personal life goes, well I'm just taking it as it comes and maybe all goes well.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
I wonder
I have to admit that I am not sure where I am standing at the moment. Every day is different, but with an obvious pattern emerging. I know last month was incredible, this month however, has seem to come to a halt. Progress has seem to have slowed and very suddenly I wonder if things have changed without me knowing.
It's strange how one can think you've got it all figured out and then the tables turn and I'm left standing confused and discouraged. What role does a nice guy have in this world? Are we destined to spend our lives in a constant state of back and forth.
I hate to seem stereotypical, but do nice guys truly finish last? It certainly seems that way.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Out of the loop
I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I'm juggling so much right now my head is spinning. I don't have time right now to keep up with the tech side of my blog, but I would like to refer you to The Digital Tech Life. She's great at keeping up with what's new out there. I will keep posting as I find time.
The new job is going pretty good and classes start back on the 22nd. I'm only taking 2 classes this semester so I hope this lightens the load a little. I managed to pass all my classes last semester, but I really had to bust my ass.
Everything else is going pretty good too. Just taking it one day at a time right now.
The new job is going pretty good and classes start back on the 22nd. I'm only taking 2 classes this semester so I hope this lightens the load a little. I managed to pass all my classes last semester, but I really had to bust my ass.
Everything else is going pretty good too. Just taking it one day at a time right now.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Painful
Training for a new job is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Not to mention watching some of my co-workers operate a computer is like watching a monkey do a math problem.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Home Sweet Home
I have to say, I was really wanting to get back home. I made it in late last night and I was so ready to sleep in my bed. First day on the job went well, just your typical training stuff. Once I get in the groove I'll feel more comfortable there. It's a lot more fast paced than I though it would be, but that will make the day go by.
My schedule is all messed up, I have been thinking it is Monday all day long, but that just means the weekend is sneaking up on me.
I won't be blogging near as much, but I'll try to keep it going in the evenings. One of these days I'll have DSL (DAMN YOU BELLSOUTH!), so really trying to post about stuff here at home is a pain.
My schedule is all messed up, I have been thinking it is Monday all day long, but that just means the weekend is sneaking up on me.
I won't be blogging near as much, but I'll try to keep it going in the evenings. One of these days I'll have DSL (DAMN YOU BELLSOUTH!), so really trying to post about stuff here at home is a pain.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Leaving on a jet plane
Finally, I am on board a descent plane this one is a big one. I am tired and ready to see my kimbo.
I have spent the last 3 hours in a bar with a bunch of off the wall people wanting to know "My story". I say "funk that". Just leave me alone and let me sit in peace.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Damn Damn Damn
My flight was cancelled. The next flight doesn't leave for another 4 hours. Guess I'll walk around for a while and maybe take a nap.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Back to Alabama
What a rushed trip this has been. I'm at the Houston airport waiting for my flight home and its coming a flood. I hope my flight doesn't get delayed.
It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to be at work first thing in the morning.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Change of heart
Ok after receiving my company credit card, checking in to the Hilton, and realizing as I sit on the terrace drinking my rum and coke, that there is a P.F. Chang's and a huge mall right across the street, this might not be such a bad trip after all.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Short trip
I'm in Houston and spent most of the day sitting around the office. I'm waiting to get to the hotel. I might have spent 2 hours training today and I am only going to have about 4 hours tomorrow, then its back on a flight home and straight to work Wednesday morning.
This weekend is the Marc Broussard concert in Nashville. I am so looking forward to that. This is not proving to be a fun trip and there isn't much to take pictures of. So I will be glad to get home.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Sitting in the airport
So much for the increased security. I made it here 2 hours early just to make it through security and be on time. I just walked right thru and now I have to sit here and wait.
I'll post later. Time for a smoke.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Decisions Decisions
Saturday, a day to catch up on the house work, relax and watch a couple of movies. I'm trying to get my stuff packed for my trip to Houston and I have realized that my business attire has become VERY casual. Now I am having to pull out the nice clothes to wear and I can't decide what to bring. I think I will worry about that tomorrow.
Kim and I are going down to Bham tonight to hang out with some friends at a kareoke bar. This should make for an interesting night. I will be blogging via the crackberry for a while but I will return to the blogosphere when I get back from Houston.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Friday, August 05, 2005
LAST DAY!!!
I've made it through my last week here. Getting ready now to head to Houston next week and get started on my new job. I'll be blogging via the Crackberry and once I get settled in, I'll be back on track. Take care and keep me informed!
A few random topics
1. March of the Penguins. Where did this movie come from? I have heard a lot of buzz on the net about it for at least a month or more and I just seen the trailer for it last night. Was it released in other countries before the US? Someone please tell me what's with all the hype!
2. SD cards. Personally, SD cards are my choice for media. Very small, inexpensive and the capacities are growing larger every day. It seems that the cell phone industry is reluctant to use SD cards for storage because of their size. This I do not understand, how much room is need to house a standard SD card. When switching to some of the smaller medias such as XD, Mini SD and some of the newer micro version, the cost really starts going through the roof. If cell phone companies started using standard SD cards for storage it would really unlock a lot of features.
Currently you can purchase a 1GB SD card for $53* from Tiger Direct.
3. College books. Why can I go to Books a Million and buy a 700 page how to book on anything for like $20 but a 200 page paperback textbook for a college can cost as much as $150 dollars. It's bad enough that tuition is sky high and the only way I could afford to go to college in the first place was to spend a few years with Uncle Sam. They are ripping us off...BIGTIME!!!
2. SD cards. Personally, SD cards are my choice for media. Very small, inexpensive and the capacities are growing larger every day. It seems that the cell phone industry is reluctant to use SD cards for storage because of their size. This I do not understand, how much room is need to house a standard SD card. When switching to some of the smaller medias such as XD, Mini SD and some of the newer micro version, the cost really starts going through the roof. If cell phone companies started using standard SD cards for storage it would really unlock a lot of features.
Currently you can purchase a 1GB SD card for $53* from Tiger Direct.
3. College books. Why can I go to Books a Million and buy a 700 page how to book on anything for like $20 but a 200 page paperback textbook for a college can cost as much as $150 dollars. It's bad enough that tuition is sky high and the only way I could afford to go to college in the first place was to spend a few years with Uncle Sam. They are ripping us off...BIGTIME!!!
Thursday, August 04, 2005
In The Rough
Not many people know but I love digital animation and 3D Graphics. Here is a cool animation from a company called Blur. It is cool and their website has more shorts.
Check it out
Check it out
Sony Ericsson Plans On Location-aware Phones
Sony Ericsson is planning on selling phones that will change their behavior depending on time and location. At the basic level, this would mean the phone wallpaper changing depending on the time of year; autumnal leaves in fall, a Christmas tree in December, etc. Ring tones could also change depending on where you are… the example New Scientist gave was it changing to a reggae ringtone in Jamaica, which sounds rather corny. But more practical applications could include a restaurant sending a specials menu to your phone via Bluetooth, instant localized weather reports, or even the cinema automatically switching your phone to silent mode (if you let it). Priority coding lets some automated controls override user settings, so no worries about having weird ringtones at inopportune moments. All in all, sounds like something potentially useful, if implemented the right way.
Location-Aware Cellphone Patent [US Patent Office via New Scientist via Textually]
Location-Aware Cellphone Patent [US Patent Office via New Scientist via Textually]
Atari faces delisting from Nasdaq
Video game publisher Atari is in the bad books of the Nasdaq stock exchange and is being threatened with delisting after several members of the company's board resigned. That left only two board members on its audit committee, neither of whom qualifies as a financial expert, so leaving the company in defiance of Nasdaq rules Atari said in a regulatory filing.
Read more...
Read more...
Faceplate Contest Winners!
Bad Ass
Major Nelson had a custom faceplate contest for the Xbox 360. This is an awesome design! No wonder it won 1st place.
Check out the rest of the submittals
Major Nelson had a custom faceplate contest for the Xbox 360. This is an awesome design! No wonder it won 1st place.
Check out the rest of the submittals
Firefly Grenade Camera
New recon tool for grunts
Firefly is a disposable camera that is shaped to fit your standard M203 grenade launchers. Load this thing into a grenade launcher and shoot it wherever surveillance needs to be done. During flight the Firefly captures recon pictures and sends them back to a PDA before hitting the ground and exploding.
This is a great idea, really! If an Infantry man needs to see whats over the next ridgeline or whats to pinpoint an expolosion, just shoot this bad boy over with your 203 and you get and instant feed back to your field pac (military PDA)
Story VIA Defensetech
Firefly is a disposable camera that is shaped to fit your standard M203 grenade launchers. Load this thing into a grenade launcher and shoot it wherever surveillance needs to be done. During flight the Firefly captures recon pictures and sends them back to a PDA before hitting the ground and exploding.
This is a great idea, really! If an Infantry man needs to see whats over the next ridgeline or whats to pinpoint an expolosion, just shoot this bad boy over with your 203 and you get and instant feed back to your field pac (military PDA)
Story VIA Defensetech
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Life with Bro
I was reading Lex's post about how she might have seen a ghost, and I thought I'd share the story of Bro.
Bro lives in my house. He doesn't haunt or anything he just floats around and lives mostly in the corner. I've seen him around the house over the last couple of years and I was telling Blaze about him. Of course he called BS on it and didn't believe me, until one day we were sitting on the couch watching a movie and I saw Bro (who at the time was unnamed) zip across the living room. I didn't say anything intentionally to see if Blaze saw him too. Blaze said "ok man I saw it, I believe you".
Now if you haven't already guessed it, Bro is an orb, a spherical light that moves about idependently. Blaze suggested we name him Bro (orb spelled backwards) and so he was named. Blaze has seen him a couple of times since we named him. So I know I am not crazy. I can't explain what it is but people say it is just light coming in through the window, but Bro has been seen all over the house, so that theory doesn't work.
Come to think about it, I haven't seen Bro in a few months. I wonder if he moved out? I bet he did and he must have took some socks with him too!
Bro lives in my house. He doesn't haunt or anything he just floats around and lives mostly in the corner. I've seen him around the house over the last couple of years and I was telling Blaze about him. Of course he called BS on it and didn't believe me, until one day we were sitting on the couch watching a movie and I saw Bro (who at the time was unnamed) zip across the living room. I didn't say anything intentionally to see if Blaze saw him too. Blaze said "ok man I saw it, I believe you".
Now if you haven't already guessed it, Bro is an orb, a spherical light that moves about idependently. Blaze suggested we name him Bro (orb spelled backwards) and so he was named. Blaze has seen him a couple of times since we named him. So I know I am not crazy. I can't explain what it is but people say it is just light coming in through the window, but Bro has been seen all over the house, so that theory doesn't work.
Come to think about it, I haven't seen Bro in a few months. I wonder if he moved out? I bet he did and he must have took some socks with him too!
4 GB SD Card!
Pretec claims its new 133x SD card offers more capacity than any other SD card on the market. The card, compliant with the SD 1.1 spec, can store up to 4 GByte of data and offers data read speeds of 20 MByte per second and data write speeds of 16 MByte per second. The company did not announce pricing, but retailers say that they expect to sell the device for less than $500.
$500 bucks for a card the size of a postage stamp....DAMN! Don't get me wrong, I would love to have one SD card for everything, but when you can buy a 1 GB for around $80 bucks, I think I'll stick with that.
$500 bucks for a card the size of a postage stamp....DAMN! Don't get me wrong, I would love to have one SD card for everything, but when you can buy a 1 GB for around $80 bucks, I think I'll stick with that.
Memory Stick Duo only media for PS3
The PS3 will not be able to use old memory cards or provide the relevant slots currently compatible for PlayStation 2 or PS One, as Sony has decided to use only its Memory Stick Duo cards -the same format used for PlayStation Portable- to save PS3 data.
Imagine that, Sony making things more difficult. I see where they are going with this but to me, the more proprietary a system is, the less likely I am to support it.
Imagine that, Sony making things more difficult. I see where they are going with this but to me, the more proprietary a system is, the less likely I am to support it.
Apple's Mighty Mouse
The Mighty Mouse
In the beginning, there was one button. Then there were two. Then there were clickable scroll wheels and programmable toggles and solid-state slides. But nobody made a mouse as easy to use as your Mac. Until now. Mighty Mouse combines the capability of a multibutton mouse with Apple’s signature top-shell design for the best of both form and function. Use it any way you work: Stick with single-button simplicity or click with multibutton efficiency.
Borrowing from Xerox, Apple was probably the most influential company in bringing the common mouse to the desktop. Years later they are still innovating, or at least trying to do such with style. The so-called "Mighty Mouse" is an OS X and Windows compatible device, and therefore of course includes multi-button functionality.
What's that in the center? It isn't quite a scrollwheel and isn't quite a trackball. It's a 360-degree scrollball that is designed to let you scroll in any direction. I'm not too much of a fan of Apple hardware, but this sure does look sleek.
In the beginning, there was one button. Then there were two. Then there were clickable scroll wheels and programmable toggles and solid-state slides. But nobody made a mouse as easy to use as your Mac. Until now. Mighty Mouse combines the capability of a multibutton mouse with Apple’s signature top-shell design for the best of both form and function. Use it any way you work: Stick with single-button simplicity or click with multibutton efficiency.
Borrowing from Xerox, Apple was probably the most influential company in bringing the common mouse to the desktop. Years later they are still innovating, or at least trying to do such with style. The so-called "Mighty Mouse" is an OS X and Windows compatible device, and therefore of course includes multi-button functionality.
What's that in the center? It isn't quite a scrollwheel and isn't quite a trackball. It's a 360-degree scrollball that is designed to let you scroll in any direction. I'm not too much of a fan of Apple hardware, but this sure does look sleek.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Microsoft mulling HD-DVD in future Xbox 360 revisions
Reports that Microsoft is to put a HD-DVD drive into a future version of the Xbox 360 have surfaced on the web over the weekend, drawing on a quote made by Microsoft chairman Bill Gates back at the end of June.
However, no further details about the company's plans with regard to the next-generation DVD standard have emerged to support the claim - so it all still rests on Gates' comment, which was reported a month ago.
Read more...
However, no further details about the company's plans with regard to the next-generation DVD standard have emerged to support the claim - so it all still rests on Gates' comment, which was reported a month ago.
Read more...
Xbox 360 price leaked claim
According to unconfirmed leaks from employees of the ubiquitous American retail giant Wal-Mart, the Xbox 360 is to go to retail at a price of $299.99 which is around what has been expected.
Read more...
Read more...
EA to drop Brando's voice for Godfather game
Electronic Arts sadly had to decide to drop the voice of Marlon Brando for their videogame adaptation of The Godfather. The actor, who died in July 2004, was not in the best of his health when he recorded the dialogue for the game with reports suggesting that as well as not completing the script, his oxygen machine interfered with the quality of the recording.
Read more...
Read more...
Monday, August 01, 2005
Hack cracks Microsoft antipiracy check
Microsoft Corp. has acknowledged that hackers were quickly able to bypass a process implemented last week to ensure that users of Microsoft's update services had legitimate copies of Windows before downloading updates and content from those services.
Read the story
Read the story
A New Hobby
Before I decided to join the Army, I was going to persue a career in digital imaging and photography. I have always loved black and white photos and after taking this picture I realized that my "photo eyes" have came back to me. I think I will have this picture framed and add it to my living room (I have nothing but B&W art in there anyway). I see so many opportunities around me for great photos and I usually pass them by, but I think I'll start capturing these moments and begin building a collection.
Best Month Ever!
First off, let be begin by saying for those of you who do not know me personally, I HATE SUMMER (I am not a fan of the high 90 temps)! So imagine my surprise when the best month of my life was July. Most people say that was the best day of my life when something wonderful or amazing happens, but the entire month of July was like that for me.
I have done so much this month, it's hard for me to recap it all. From Partying at the lake over the 4th, the Collective Soul concert, the lake house for a week, my trip to Louisiana, Kim coming home, the plane ride, the Rodney Carrington show, my new job, and finally the white water rafting trip and mini-vacation to Chattanooga.
Kim and I left Saturday morning with some friends of mine up to the Ocoee river for some white water rafting. I am getting the pictures devleloped today so I will have them up as soon as possible. We had a great time, the weather was perfect and we had the coolest guide. I will have to go back there again someday. After the trip on the river, we headed to Chattanooga. We checked into our hotel and relaxed a while. Everything was pretty packed but we found a nice Japanese resturant called Seksui (I think). After dinner we walked back to the hotel, popped open a nice bottle of Vouvray and sat out on the terrace and talked.
The next morning after breakfast, we went to the TN Aquarium. I have been there 3 other times but they have opened many new exhibits. I have already posted some pics of the aquarium. It was really amazing. We had a great time there. After that we stopped in a Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Shoppe and had a treat. Then we went to the Imax theater and watched Wild Safari. After the movie we headed home and made it back around 5:30. It was a wonderful weekend and I couldn't be happier. What a great way to end the month.
I have done so much this month, it's hard for me to recap it all. From Partying at the lake over the 4th, the Collective Soul concert, the lake house for a week, my trip to Louisiana, Kim coming home, the plane ride, the Rodney Carrington show, my new job, and finally the white water rafting trip and mini-vacation to Chattanooga.
Kim and I left Saturday morning with some friends of mine up to the Ocoee river for some white water rafting. I am getting the pictures devleloped today so I will have them up as soon as possible. We had a great time, the weather was perfect and we had the coolest guide. I will have to go back there again someday. After the trip on the river, we headed to Chattanooga. We checked into our hotel and relaxed a while. Everything was pretty packed but we found a nice Japanese resturant called Seksui (I think). After dinner we walked back to the hotel, popped open a nice bottle of Vouvray and sat out on the terrace and talked.
The next morning after breakfast, we went to the TN Aquarium. I have been there 3 other times but they have opened many new exhibits. I have already posted some pics of the aquarium. It was really amazing. We had a great time there. After that we stopped in a Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Shoppe and had a treat. Then we went to the Imax theater and watched Wild Safari. After the movie we headed home and made it back around 5:30. It was a wonderful weekend and I couldn't be happier. What a great way to end the month.
Talk Digger lets you see who's linking to you
Frédérick Giasson's new service, Talk Digger, rocks (he announced it a couple of days ago on his blog). It lets you see who is talking about your blog (or any URL, really) from a variety of sources.
This is really cool. Take a look at it, I am going to add this site to my links section.
Talk Digger
This is really cool. Take a look at it, I am going to add this site to my links section.
Talk Digger
New Minox camera is 8.1 megapixels
The Minox DC 8111 is the latest compact camera to break 8.1 megapixels. Wrapped in a shiny aluminium body, it has a 2.5 inch LCD, 3x optical zoom, and 5.1 digital zoom. Along with automatic settings, it packs an impressive array of manual controls for a compact, such as freely selectable aperture and shutter speeds, as well as four different kinds of flash. No word on pricing or availability yet, though here’s hoping it’s affordable, and that it’ll be out soon.
The Minox DC 8111
Wireless wallets?
Imagine being able to pay for a song on the jukebox, buy a bag of groceries or gain admission to a sports arena by simply waving your phone by a machine. With consumers in Asia and Europe already using their mobile phones to pay for soda and parking fees, the long discussed concept of the wireless wallet could be slowly creeping closer to reality in the United States
Check it out...
Check it out...
Record year for gaming industry??
Sales of U.S. console and portable video game hardware, software and accessories rose 21% year-over-year for the first half of 2005, putting the industry on track for a record year, research firm NPD Group said.
The gaming sector saw overall sales hit more than $4.1 billion for the January-June period compared with $3.4 billion in first-half 2004, driven by the fast-expanding portable gaming market and software sales gains, NPD said Thursday
Read the story
The gaming sector saw overall sales hit more than $4.1 billion for the January-June period compared with $3.4 billion in first-half 2004, driven by the fast-expanding portable gaming market and software sales gains, NPD said Thursday
Read the story
WiFi pistol appears at Defcon
Las Vegas (NV) - Every year, smaller, more powerful processors come to market - hacker weaponry follows the same trend. Last year, the Shmoo Group and Flexilis demonstrated long-ranged WiFi and Bluetooth rifles, but this year, wireless weaponry becomes smaller, but much more powerful. The Shmoo Group, known for melding cool security gear into hardware, showed off their latest creation, a powerful 802.11 pistol, which can detect WiFi networks for miles.
Check it out...
Check it out...
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